Conveyer



Nov. 18, 1930. l-L c. DODGE ETAL' CONVEYER Filed June 27, 1928' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N H. c. DODGE ET AL 1,731,750

CONVEYER Filed June 27, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheb 2 '//v [EA/Tang ,4 T U NE/ Patented Nov. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES HAROLD C. DODGE, OF PORTLAND,

Am) WALTER- 13mm, or onneon KLAMATH FALLS,

coNvEYEB.

Application filed June 27,

This invention, relates generally to conveyers, and particularly to transfers for lumer. The main object of this invention is to provide a transfer for lumber which will not mar the surface-or corners of lumber conveyed thereon.

The second object is to provide a special form of transfer belt having a resilient lam-- her-engaging .face, which belt will be easy to manufacture and of long life, and at the same time will not require objectionably severe tension in order to properly drive same. The third object is to so construct the belt that in spite of its relatively great thickness it will be extremely flexible. These, and other objects, will become more apparent from the specification following as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a persective view of a typical form of lumber transfer mechanism in which a special belt is employed. Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 22 in Fig. 1. Figure 3 is a vertical section through a sheave showing its man ner of engaging the belt. Figure 4: is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the transfer belt. Figure 5 is a perspective view of a sheave showing the belt passing around same. Figure 6 is a fragmentary side eleva tionof a modified form of sheave and belt. Figure 7 is a transverse section of another modification in which a relatively fiat rub:

her belt is employed. Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevation of a combined chain and belt. Figure 9 is a transverse section taken along theline 9-9 in Fig. 8. I Similar numbers of reference refer to similar parts throu hout the several views.

Before entering into a descri tion ofthis device .it will be understood t at it is in reality a conveyer upon which lumber is deposited and movedalong for the purpose of sorting and grading theindividual pieces of lumber. It will also be understood that transfer mechanisms have been employed in which chains, and even wire cables, are employed to carry the lumber. Such devices have proved objectionable on account of their 1928. Serial No. 288,662.

ability to mar the lumber as it passed, and %)his of course is specially true of planed luln- Referring in detail to the drawings, in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive is illustrated the preferred form of this device in which a plurality of pairs of sheaves 10 and 11 are employed to carry rubber transfer belts. The sheaves 10 and. 11 are provided with V- shaped grooves 13 into which extend the inner rib 14 of the belt 12. The extreme top 15 is preferably flat and merges into the sloping edges 16. The sides 17 and the under portion 18, as well as the sides 19 of the rib 14 are covered with fabric 20, and plies of fabric 21 are moulded within the vertex of the V-shapedrib 14. Additional strips of fabric 22, 23 and'24; are moulded into the belt '12 relatively near itslumber-engaging surfaces 15 and 16. The fabric 23 is specially curved (as shown) to improve its ability to yield when the belt is passing around the sheaves. tioned' with its threads running diagonally with relation to the length of the belt, to increase its flexibility.

The sheaves 10 are mounted on the shaft 25, which is supported by the bearings 26, and the sheaves 11 are mounted on the shaft 27 which is rotated by means of the motor 28 which drives through the transmission 29 and the belt 30 to the pulley 31 on the shaft 27. The top run of each belt 12 is supported by a guide 32 provided with grooves 33 corresponding to the grooves 13 in the sheaves 10.and 11, except that the under portions The fabric 20 is preferably posi- 18 of the belt are permitted to ride upon the guide instead of being spaced therefrom, as is the case between the same surface 18 and the sheaves 10 and 11. Suitable sup orts 34 are provided for the guides 32-at requent intervals.

The conveyer 35 normally carries the boards 36 from a planer or other machine and deposits them on the belts 12, which, it will be understood, are all traveling in the same direction at the same speed. It is preferable in some cases to provide a sloping plate 37 between'the conveyer 35 and the belts 12 for the purpose of more gently depositingthe individual boards 36 upon the transfer belts. It is also desirable to provide intervening plates 38, one side of which rests on the low cleat 39, and the other side rests on the high cleat 40, the obj ect, of course, being to facilitate the placing of the boards on the transfer mechanism at a minimum amount of chance of the boards injuring the belts or their guides as they slide forwardly.

In the form of the device shown in igure 6 a relatively fiat belt 41 is employed on whose under side are formedthe projections.

42 which engage the recesses 43 in the sheave 44 for driving purposes. In this case the edge 45 may actually touch the outer surface 46 of the sheave 44, if desired.

In the form of the device shown in Figure 7 a relatively flat belt 47 is employed and this belt is provided with the fabric 48 which engages the grooves 49 in the supports 50. In this case the intermediate guide plate 51 is also employed.

In the form of the device shown in Figures 8 and 9 there is a combined chain and belt to pass around a sprocket 52. The chain consists of a plurality of links 53 which are joined together by means of the pins 54.having a V-s aped pad 55 formed on their outer surface.

The belt 56 is similar to the belt 12 except that the side 57 of the belt may ride directly on the surface 58 of the pad 55, in this instance the drive for the chain being positive and the belt itself merely lying between the channel-shaped pads 55.

In the form of the device shown in Figure 9 the lumber-engaging surface 5'9 is shown somewhat rounding instead of angular as in the belts 12 and 41, although it must be understood that the exact shape of this surface is of minor importance.

It will be understood that conveyers of this character ordinarily operate in a direction normal to the len h of the saw log, so that as the boards are fe onto-the conveyer laterally they are prevented by the blades 38 from digging into the sides of the conve er belts. It will be understood, of course, t at, as previously described, when the conveyer is used in certain positions the material may be placed thereon by the intermediate conveyer 35, although in most instances the material would enter the sorting table by a longitudinal movement which is normal to the run of the belts, making the blades 38 very essential.

As previously explained, transfer mechanism and conveyers have long been used, we

therefore do not intend to cover such devices broadly, but we do intend to cover all such forms and modifications thereof as fall fairly within the appended claims.

We claim: 1. The combination of a plurality of transfer mechanisms each having a driven wheel,

adrive wheel, a conveyer passing around said wheels, said conveyer having'rubber lumberengaging faces, said conveyer and Wheels having tongue and groove connections between their contacting surfaces, means for supporting the u per run of each conveyer belt between its driven and driving wheels consisting of a channel-shaped support in which said belt can lie, and a sloping guide between the lowermost portion of the guide in which said belt lies and the uppermost portion of the next adjacent guide.

2. A transfer belt for lumber sorting maing side of the belt and said oppositely bulging fabric, and a plurality of layers of fabric within the V portion of said belt close to the point of said V.

3. In a lumber sorter the combination of a flat belt having a V shaped rib on its driving side, pulleys around which said belt can travel by engaging the sides of said V-shaped rib, and guides for the load supporting run of the belt upon which the flat portion of the belt can slide.

4. A transfer belt having a continuous T-shaped cross section the upright portion of sal T having its sides converging toward the bottom thereof and the top of said T bulging upwardly toward the center. 

